Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-20
IT'S FOUNDATION.
THB FIRST OF A SERIES OF SERMONS 10 BIZ
DELIVERED By REY. n. L. ATWOOD,
In Which the Reverend Gentleman VIII DsyOt
Hlmsei 10 an Explanation Of the True
Foundation Of the Christian Church.

The Disciples Chapel, which has been
closed for several weeks, was reopened yes
terday at the usual hour for religious ser
vices. The building has Teen thoroughly
repaired. the woodwork reprinted, the
walls and ceiling beautifully frescoed and
handsome new carpet laid upon the floors.
The organ has been put in perfect con-
dition, and no effort has been spared to
make the church attractive. 1t may truly
be said there is no cOsier or prettier place
of worship in the city to-day than the Dis
ciple's Church.
Last evening, as announced, Rev. N. l.
Atwood, the pastor, delivered the first of
q series of discourses in which some OF the
assumptions of the Roman Catholic Church
as set forth by Bishop Kahn, in his Lenten
lectures, are to be examined. Quite good
sized and attentive audience was present
last evening to listen to the sermon.
Rev. Atwood opened his discourse by
reading Matt. xyi.-15, Is, II and Is ",
which, he said, is the point of divergence
between the Catholic and the Christian.
The Catholic claims that the Saviour said
he would build his Church on the 'Pe-
tros,'' Little Stone, which was the sur
name of Simon; the Christian, that
he said he would build it up
on 'this PetrO," Rock; 1.-THE Christ
the Son of the Living God" To dispute
about the meaning of the two words may
not be the most satisfactory way to settle
the difference. A sure way will be to ex-
anime the foundation. Jesus said to
Simon: ''Unto thee Will l give the keys
of the Kingdom of Heaven" believe 1t
is not questioned that Church and King
dom of Heaven in this connection are one
and the same. There is no dispute as to
who was to lay the foundation, and when,
and where it was to be laid.
At the time this declaration was
made Jesus charged his disciples
that they should tell no man that he was
Jesus, the Christ" Full instructions were
given afterwards. Peter and his associates
were commanded to go and teach all Ma
tioas." Matt. xviii, 10. They were COM
manded to "tarry at Jerusalem until they
were endowed with power from on high. "
Being all Galileans, they could speak but
one language. 1t was necessary that they
should be able to speak all languages.
1t was necessary that an occasion should
be chosen when all nations were
present. The place had been designated
seven hundred years before by both Isaiah
and Micah. 'Out of Zion shall 90
forth the law, and the word Of the Lord
from Jerusalem. Isaiah lis, Micah
/ iv-2.
The first and second chapters Of Acts
tell as how strictly these instructions
were obeyed. When Jesus had finished
the speaking of them, HE was parted from
them and carried up into Heaven. y
Luke xvi-5l.
'Then returned they to Jerusalem. -
Acts lilo. They were all with one ac-
cord in one place.-Acts i'll. In this
place they received the promised power,
land began to speak with
other tongues. Acts ia. There
were present "dsVout men out of eCery
nation under AedreR," Acts It's; and "eUery
man heard them speak in his own Ian
guage. Then Peter, who had the keys,
stood up with the eleven" Acts lila.
Here we have the right man at the right
time, in the night place, in possession Of the
necessary power, in the presence OF every
nation under heaven" doing the work the
Divine Master had commanded them to
do. Peter had the keys. He laid the
foundation of the church and opened the
door. What he did is related with great
minuteness. He did not lay himself
down and commence building on
himself and put the keys in the fOun-
dation. He (the "StOne') stood up and
spoke as the spirit gave HIN utterance,
The thing that he spoke was this: God
hath made that same Jesus whom We cru
CITED both Lord and Christ" All that
spoke previously to this was to prove this
one great fact. This is exactly what he
said when Jesus told him that, "On this
rock will / build my church" Peter
afterward declared that this was the fOun-
dation. He told the "elect, according to
the foreknowledge OF God" l Peter i-2,
that this was "a living stone, disa.lOwed,
indeed, of men, las it is by Roman Cath
ole men in particularly but chosen of God
and precious" i Peter ii-4. Then,
in the same connection, he gives a descrip-
tiOn of the building he had erected upon
this foundation, and tells of what materials
the building was constructed. 1t was
built of lively stones" and it was built
up o spirited house" He does not say
/ that some of them were priests and'that q
great many more OF them were "laymen,"
but that all Of them were "a Holy PRIEST
hood" He makes no mention of Pope.
The commission is easily accounted for
There is no Pope in the Church of Christ.
| Ii was the particular and express COM
mand of Jesus that his followers should
"CaV 40 man Pope" Matt. xxiii-9.
All true Christians obey this command.
The apostle Paul tells us Cor. iii-ll,
''Other foundation can no man lay than
that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, and
not Peter his fellow apostle. He also tells
in Ephesians ii-2O, aye are built upon the
foundation of the Apostles and Prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself, land not the Apostle
Peter being the chief corner"
Jesus is the foundation on which the
church was built, and Peter only held
the keys to let people in. If Peter is the
| foundation fthe church, then the church
is standing upon its head and the keys are
in the foundation.
GRAND CONCERT at the Garden tonight